Naruto's Journey
by Roxas33
Summary: Naruto returns to Konoha with a beaten Sasuke on his back. Unfortunately, something's happened to Sasuke that will alter the lives of both Naruto and Sakura. New feelings are forged between them as they cope with misfortunes they never wanted to face.
1. Homecoming

While in-between chapters for my main Naruto story, I thought I would something somewhat original. As always, it's NaruSaku, maybe with a little SasuSaku thrown in to give it some depth.

(Oh, and for a real NaruSaku moment…watch Naruto Shippuden episode 43/44.)

"Normal"

'Thought'

_**"Demon/inner people"**_

Thunder roared and the wind billowed throughout the large village of Konohagakure no Sato. It was the middle of the night when a storm suddenly built up and unleashed its fury upon it. Everyone was mostly asleep at the time, except those who had jobs at the time. More specifically, Konoha hospital, where the Godaime Hokage, Tsunade, worked part time. It was an uneventful night so she decided to take a break with a bottle of sake, her usual drink during her breaks. It always seemed to get her mind off of her job as Hokage, the corrupt council, and her job at the hospital. She started to slip in and out of consciousness as the sake took control of her senses and she fell asleep at the table in the break room.

The rain poured against the boy's straining face as he came closer to the gates of his beloved home. The home he swore to protect from the evils of the world. He was carrying an unconscious form on his back while swaying back and forth trying to stay awake long enough to get to the hospital. The boy, Uzumaki Naruto, gained a few meters into the village and collapsed from exhaustion.

'Wha…where am I?' he thought as he awoke from a deep sleep. He noticed a nurse at his left side taking readouts from a monitor at the side of his bed. His eyes were open somewhat and the light from the window started to burn his pupils. Every muscle in his body felt like they were on fire and he groaned as he tried to sit up.

"Naruto-kun! Please don't move, you'll only make it worse!" said the nurse.

Naruto paid no heed as he sat up anyway, ignoring the blinding pain coursing throughout his body.

"Ugh…how long have I been out?"

"Only for about 14 hours now. I'm surprised you're even awake as it is! The injuries you've sustained should have kept you bed-ridden for at least a week or two."

Naruto could only smirk. "Yeah, well you can thank the bloody Kyuubi for that."

The nurse, Mei only smiled. Mei was the one nurse who took care of Naruto ever since he was born. Almost every week she would see him in the hospital since he was a toddler as he was constantly attacked and threatened nonstop by the villagers. She grew to like him and she didn't care if he was the jailor of the Kyuubi no Kitsune. For that, he was grateful to her from the start.

"Um…Naruto-kun, I really hope you don't mind me asking but, what happened to you for you to arrive in this state?"

"Hm, that's a good question Mei-chan." Naruto tried to think with his strained mind about what happened to him.

**Flashback**

_"Heh, you won't be able to win dobe! I've still yet to kill my brother! What makes you think I would go to that pathetic village again? Nothing is there for me. The only way to true power is to follow my own path!" the raven-haired Uchiha stood there battle worn facing an even more battle worn Naruto._

_"Sasuke! Don't you understand yet? True power lies in the will to protect your precious people! The village wants you back teme. Sakura-chan needs you.__**I**____need you." Naruto gazed at the ground before him trying to get Sasuke to come back to his senses._

_"Tch, I have no precious people in my life Uzumaki! I am an avenger. I live my life only to enact revenge for my clans death!" the Uchiha again charged Naruto._

_Their fight has lasted for hours on end. Rasengan and Chidori marks were littered across the battlefield. Naruto had been assigned a solo mission from Tsunade a few weeks ago to go out, find Sasuke, and bring him back if not alive, then dead._

_Naruto had been depleted of his chakra long ago and was using his fifth tail form to fight Sasuke. He would use all of the power he possessed to bring Sakura happiness and he'd be damned if he lost to the Uchiha traitor. Thankful to Yamato and Jiraiya, he'd been able to unlock eight tails of the Kyuubi's chakra._

_The forest that had been their battlefield was completely decimated. The only things remaining were craters and burnt wood from their titanic collisions. They both knew that this was their last move. Whoever had more power behind their next attack would be the victor. The blonde Jinchuuriki charged yet another Rasengan into his hand, applying his wind chakra to it to create his ultimate yet forbidden jutsu: the__**Fuuton: Rasengan**__. The Uchiha had also started to charge his own version of Hatake Kakashi's__**Raikiri**__into his left hand while activating his Mangekyo Sharingan._

"_This is your last chance dobe! If you don't give, I'll be forced to kill you. I will not be dragged to that pathetic village of yours. Especially by the dead last shinobi of it." Sasuke smirked as his jutsu was nearly finished charging._

"_Teme…I will not give up you. I do this for Sakura-chan to make her happy. I do this for your own good, my brother." Naruto's Rasengan was finished at last._

"_The Kyuubi won't save you this time Naruto! In case you haven't figured out yet, my Sharingan can control any bijuu!"_

"_I know Sasuke. But neither I nor the Kyuubi will give into it."_

_Both of their jutsu were fully charged and killer intent poured off of their bodies._

'_Ero-sennin, I am only capable of this because of you. Thank you.' Naruto formed a warm smile on his face before it went back to his viscous phase._

"_Come on dobe! Let's see who is truly the most powerful of us my rival! Prepare yourself!" And with his final words, Sasuke charged toward the Jinchuuriki._

"_I do this for you, Sakura-chan. I hope he can make succeed in making you happy where I have failed." He muttered to himself and charged towards his eternal rival, and brother. The Rasengan and Raikiri collided, resulting in a massive burst of light and wind._

_Naruto carried the unconscious Uchiha on his back after having won the power struggle, which rendered him completely out of both his and the Kyuubi's chakra, and created the massive crater he walked out of earlier. He never stopped to take a break even though days had passed by since the battle ended. He needed to get the Uchiha back to Konoha, and to Sakura. Nightfall had arrived on the middle of the second week the blonde had been walking with the still unconscious Sasuke on his back when a thunderstorm started to brew over his head. He still had an hour to go, he figured, before he reached the gates to the village. Finally at the gates, he took a couple more steps before he to, like his brother and comrade, fell unconscious. Fortunately for him, Kakashi was on his nightly watch of the gates and stumbled upon the sleeping duo at the north gate._

'_Well, well. Looks like you were able to pull it off Naruto. I'm proud of you.' Kakashi gave a slight smile under his mask, hoisted the two sleeping shinobi onto his shoulers, and jumped from rooftop to rooftop towards the hospital._

**Flashback End**

"So that's who that boy was downstairs in restricted room! I thought he looked familiar for a second. Uchiha Sasuke…who would've thought." Mei said after Naruto told her the story.

"Is he alive Mei-chan? I couldn't forgive myself if I killed him." Naruto frowned.

"Well…unfortunately, that attack you used on him completely destroyed his chakra coils. In time, his system will be devoid of chakra, killing him in the process."

"No…you can't be serious! You mean he won't recover from this?" His eyes widened at Mei, looking for a reassuring answer.

"I'm afraid so Naruto-kun. While he broke most of the bones in your body, you rendered his chakra system to the point that the cells that generate chakra have been completely destroyed. It's a miracle you walked as far as you did with your injuries!"

'Sasuke…' Naruto could only grieve for his teammate as he came to the realization that he just killed his friend, his comrade, his brother.

"Ah it seems you have a visitor Naruto-kun." Mei stopped checking his statistics on her clipboard as none other than Haruno Sakura burst into the room.

"Naruto! I haven't seen you in weeks! Where have you been all this time? You said we were going to train the next day but you were gone for 3 whole weeks! Wha…" she started to trail off having seen Naruto wrapped up in bandages.

"It's nice to see you again Sakura-chan." Naruto gave her the best smile he could give her. But with him being so tired, it only appeared as a slight grin.

"Na…Naruto, what happened to you?" she cried and rushed to his bedside. Sakura started to check all of his injuries.

"I'll leave you two alone ok?" Mei said.

"Hai, thanks again Mei-chan." She walked out of the room but not before giving Naruto a wink, which caused him to blush. Mei knew about his deep affections for Sakura after Naruto bragging about her so many times.

'I hope you both will find peace after this…' she then walked off to check on her other patients.

"Naruto?" Sakura look concerned.

"Oh, sorry Sakura-chan. I spaced out for a second."

"It's ok Naruto. So do you want to tell me where you've been for the past 3 weeks? As your team-mate and best friend I think I have the right to know!"

Naruto gazed at the foot of his bed. He didn't feel like telling her who else was in the hospital as well.

'Sasuke…'

"It was a solo S-rank mission given to me by Tsunade-baa-chan right after we had lunch together. Ever since being promoted to Chunin, she's been wanting me to send me out on this one for a while."

"Was it…Akatsuki?" Sakura now looked more worried than ever. Since she learned about the 9 Jinchuurikis, she now worried about Naruto more than she ever had anyone else. Even her child-hood crush, Sasuke.

"No. Not this time. It was about…Sasuke." Once the blonde said his name, he couldn't bear to look Sakura in the eye. It would bring him too much pain.

"Sas…Sasuke-kun? What about him Naruto? Did he do this to you? Did you manage to bring him home? What happened out there!" She fired off her questions while Naruto summoned the courage to tell her everything that happened.

After a few minutes he finished his story but still couldn't look at her.

"He's downstairs if you want to see him. He's still unconscious from what I've heard. But he is here."

Sakura started to leave his bedside and immediately head towards the Uchiha's room, but halted when she heard Naruto speak up again.

"Sakura-chan. Wait, please! I need to tell you one more thing." Naruto tried to sit up even further, but succumbed to the searing pain in his neck and back. Sakura walked back to Naruto's bed and helped him get comfortable. He was finally able to lie down without any pain.

"What is it Naruto?"

"Sakura-chan. You need to know. There's something about Sasuke that I need to tell you."

Sakura remained silent.

"I…I used the **Fuuton: Rasengan** against him. But please, you have to understand! I couldn't defeat him without having to use it!"

The rosette could only gasp as she knew the effects the **Fuuton: Rasengan** had on an individual. The jutsu destroyed almost anything it touches on a cellular level. The jutsu is dangerous both to the victim and even the user as it touches the user as well.

"His cells were damaged by the attack. They were so far damaged that they wreaked havoc on his chakra network, destroying his cells, and is slowly killing him. I'm so sorry Sakura-chan. I did everything I could!"

Sakura gazed upon her hands resting in her lap. She couldn't process all the information at once.

"I see." Was her stoic reply. She started walking towards the exit of his room.

"Sakura-chan. Please, don't do this to me! It's hard enough I have to watch my own brother die! If I lose you, I don't know if I'd be able to go on! Please, don't hate me." Naruto begged.

"Naruto…" he looked up at her with tears starting to form in his eyes. "Naruto, I could never, ever hate you. You matter too much to me. I, just have to sort out my feelings for a bit. I'm so confused I don't even know what to feel right now."

"Thank you Sakura-chan. You have no idea how much that means to me."

The rosette gave him a small smile before closing the door to his room leaving it open only a crack. She started to walk away before she heard Naruto's voice through the door.

The Jinchuuriki said to himself, "Sakura-chan. You really don't know how much you mean to me. Hated by everyone as far back as I can remember. Yet you show me kindness and compassion even when I kill the man you love. I don't know how I'll ever repay you Sakura-chan. But, I don't ever want to see you hurt again. I love you too much. I wish I could say this directly to you, but I'm afraid that it'll ruin our friendship." Naruto fell asleep as he uttered his last sentence not knowing Sakura was still at his door listening.

"Naruto…I've wanted to tell you how I've really felt about you. For two years now, I've been holding in my feelings for you. But now that Sasuke-kun's…well, I don't know if now is the right time. Please Naruto-kun, hang in just a little longer…"

Welp that's it! 1st chappy done. So RxR and tell me how it is so far!

Dedicated to Gaara of the Funk! Unch unch unch unch Gaaraaaa of the FUNK!

Roxas33


	2. What Goes Up

Me again, sorry it's taking so long with my stories…school and work coupled with hard times leaves me to re-arrange my priorities. But I have some time so I thought I'd squeeze something out to my loyal *cough* (JK ) fans. Enjoy!

This was a kinda a one-shot but I decided that enough of a plot existed to continue the story. Lemme know whatcha think!

"Speaking"

_Thinking/flashback_

"_**Reserved for the king of demons!"**_

Chapter 2: What Goes Up…

Darkness, that's what he was surrounded by. The anger and sadness that had plagued his life for years had invaded his dreams. When did they start? And when did they become so real? He had no idea. In that darkness usually stood the object of his emotions. His brother Itachi, whom he eventually learned the truth about from his most recent master. Or his rival, his comrade, his illegitimate brother. Taunting him, telling him he was weak. Not deserving of the life he would've had, of the friendship and bonds that he knowingly and irrefutably severed. They both chuckled, which turned into a quiet laughter getting louder and louder and louder.

Sasuke bolted from his slumber trying to adjust his eyes to the darkness that surrounded him once again. Was he dreaming? He tried to get his eyes to focus, but to no avail. Not a ray of light could be seen. The only thing his five senses were picking up was the incredible pain his entire body felt and the rhythmic beep of a medical heart monitor coming from what he perceived to be the left side of the bed he was currently occupying. He came to the conclusion that he was in a hospital. But where and how did he get here? Recollecting his thoughts he remembered his bout with Naruto. Leaving entire country sides obliterated and sifting through every technique they both knew. He must've lost. Otherwise what would he be doing here? His grip on the sheets tightened at the realization that he lost to his once best friend. He felt weak, drained. As if someone sucked him almost dry of his energy. He wondered if he could walk but only felt a searing pain throughout his body as he attempted to shift his legs off of the bed. Every muscle and joint felt as if they had touched molten lava. Getting somewhat comfortable again, he heard a door open on the far side of the room as multiple footsteps stepped into the room.

"Seems the guards were right when they heard the heart monitor quicken. We are pleased to see you're awake Uchiha Sasuke." A gruff, deep voice bellowed. "Now we get down to business. Takabe, inform the hokage that the Uchiha is awake."

Sasuke listened to the pair of feet make their way out of the room and disappear.

"Back to business. I am Morino Ibiki, commander of the integration wing of the ANBU guard and you will listen well. Since your arrival back in Konohagakure, the Hokage, military and civilian councils have prepared a trial to try you for the crimes you've committed these last nine years. And you have a hell of a lot to answer for. Inoue, please get him in the wheelchair to escort him to the rehabilitation wing. His consciousness shows that his body is in a good enough condition to be moved. Anko, takes these notes and fill out my report of the Uchiha."

The footsteps left the room as he was lifted out of the bed and gently placed into the chair. He knew it would be impossible to fight back or escape in his condition and he allowed them to move him. As they moved him, something was off. The sounds had changed. Voices and any noise that came from in front of him echoed off the walls, floor and ceiling. He assumed they were moving him in the hallway from the intensive care unit on the first floor of the hospital. But he recalled from memory that the hallways were lit and had windows. He suddenly became aware that the only thing he could still see was darkness. Something wasn't right. His eyes were open, he knew that he was brought out of the hospital room into the hallway that had lights and windows. No…he couldn't be...could he? Already? So soon? Through the pain in his body, he tried to summon a small bit of chakra to his eyes and found that he couldn't mold it. That absolutely nothing happened. A small spark maybe but flickered out a second later.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Inoue warned from behind him while pushing his chair. "Yes, I'm a sensory medic and nurse. Trying to mold chakra in your state would be fatal."

Sasuke started to feel something he had never felt in his 21 years of living: helpless. Had he been defeated so thoroughly that he was in this state? He started to ponder his situation and felt his anger and hate slowly leave him, being replaced by despair and fear. Things he hadn't felt since he was a boy. Was this his punishment for his deeds of the last nine years? His stoic face hiding his feelings as he was pushed through the halls with patients, nurses, and doctors staring in awe and murmuring as they passed knowing full well who he was.

"Tell me Inoue-san, how long have I been asleep?" he asked as they entered the double doors to the rehab wing.

"Almost a month I'd say. You were comatose through the entire time. No one knew exactly when you were going to wake up, if at all. You took quite a beating."

"Don't remind me." He replied coldly.

**Sakura's Office…**

"These are the last of the medical reports on the Uchiha, Sakura sempai." The nurse placed a small stack of papers onto the desk that was already littered with papers and other important documents. Sakura's computer hummed quietly under a stack of research on cellular regeneration as she looked over a blood tissue sample from a team that came in recently that had been poisoned with a rare serum.

"Thank you Sayori. Have there been any changes in him lately?"

"No sempai. His chakra coils have been destroyed and his eyes permanently damaged from his doujutsu usage. Naruto's attack saw to the former, his stubbornness and re-use of his sharingan saw to the latter."

The door to the office burst open to reveal one of the nurses who had been monitoring Sasuke's progress.

"Sakura-sama, I'm very sorry to disturb you but I have news!"

"Good ahead Yumi, what is it?"

"He's awake." She whispered.

Sakura had prepared for this moment the day Naruto had brought him back to the village. But now that it was actually happening, she felt light headed and sick. She hadn't had a true conversation with her childhood crush in almost ten years. A whole mix of emotions swam through her system.

"Th-thank you Yumi. You can go now." She replied shakily. Yumi bowed in respect and closed the door.

Sayori knew the history of her sempai's old team and what happened when they were twelve. She was Sakura's most trusted and gifted nurse at the hospital and as such was in charge of the observation of Sasuke.

"Sakura-sempai?" she asked as the door shut.

"I'm fine." Sakura said. "Make sure you transfer his data to the rehabilitation office. I want updates daily about his condition."

"Yes, sempai. Right away." She said and started to gather all the documents and research to deliver to the rehab clinic downstairs. "Are you going to tell Naruto? He might want to know about this."

Sakura gave a heavy sigh. "I'll tell him but not right now. He has so much on his plate already not to mention he hasn't fully recovered yet."

She glanced at the clock on the wall and noticed that her day was coming to an end. As the lead medic and technical overseer of the entire hospital, she was lucky enough to have standard work hours five days a week at the same times. Often she took time off for important missions here and there and Tsunade would sometimes fill in for her. Begrudgingly of course as she was trying to enjoy her retirement. Luckily it wasn't too often.

"I'm heading out Sayori, make sure Akira catalogs those cultures in the vault before tomorrow."

"Yes ma'am."

**Konoha streets**

_Damn it's crowded._ Naruto thought as he moved through the busy streets during rush hour. The occasional "Hey Naruto!" or "Naruto! Glad to see you!" came from all around him. Ever since the defeat of Pein, the village had started to see him as their savior and proving so as he was the one that defeated Uchiha Madara and the Orochimaru infused Yakushi Kabuto and ended the Fourth Ninja World War. The war had lasted not a week, but was dangerously close to being lost. Madara had captured Killer Bee and succeeded in capturing the biju inside him. Using the statue that the rest of Akatsuki used to capture and store the biju, he fused with it and gained its power. And with his new found power, a final battle ensued. Naruto, despite his new found power, came within inches of death but the Kyuubi wouldn't have it. His motivation of survival had outweighed his stubbornness and allowed Naruto to use his full power by transforming into his ninth and final form. But even this wasn't enough for the god-like Madara. Only by combining what chakra the Kyuubi had left and senjutsu was he able to reach a power never before seen before. The chaotic nature of the demon's chakra combined with the serene, calm essence of natural chakra balanced itself in the purest form. Combining the tailed beast ball and senjutsu chakra enhanced rasenshuriken created a blast of energy potent enough to most likely destroy the planet. Madara was eventually killed in that blast. Never before had Naruto felt so close to death from chakra exhaustion, until he was sent to find Uchiha Sasuke 5 years later.

Intel had provided information that Yakushi Kabuto had turned up dead by a patrol near Iwagakure and investigations into it show that Sasuke was responsible. All five ninja villages agreed to have Naruto be the one to either bring about his demise or capture him, to the chagrin of the Tsuchikage and the Raikage both of whom wanted his death.

His stomach rumbled signaling that it was dinner time. Heading in the direction of his favorite ramen stand, well it can't be called a stand anymore since Teuchi and Ayame expanded the place from the increased business Naruto's popularity brought them, he bumped shoulders with out of all places his pink haired teammate.

"Hey! Watch where you're-Naruto?" she said while massaging her shoulder.

"S-Sakura-chan? Hey long time no see!" he exclaimed finding out who he ran into.

"Yeah. Sure has been a while. The hospital's been so busy recently with all the new technology we got. Where are you heading off to that you bumped into me so hard?"

"Ah, I was on my way to Ichiraku Ramen of course! Hey, you should join me! You probably haven't eaten yet right?"

"Um, sure why not? But you'd better be paying!" Sakura playfully scolded him. _Just like old times._ She thought.

"But Sakura-chaaan." Naruto whined playfully.

"Don't you but me mister, I know the special discount Teuchi gives you. Now come on before I change my mind." She finished with pulling Naruto by the ear down the street begging to be set free from her grasp.

**Hokage Tower**

"And you're sure that this is it? That he's done?" Hatake Kakashi asked Anko in the office of the Hokage. Kakashi looked a little strange wearing the official garb of the Hokage. A role that he assumed not three weeks ago after Tsunade announced her retirement. He was originally the most likely choice between the daimyo and his council and the officials of Konoha during the war so it was only logical that he replace Tsunade. Construction on the Monument would commence in a few months to add his likeness to the rock.

"One hundred percent positive. He is no threat to even a small child now. And considering he only has a few years left, it wouldn't really matter what the joint council would do to him."

"As the Hokage, I would agree with you. As Kakashi, I still care for him. He was my student after all. And his ex teammates would raise hell if the council decided that execution was the only option." Kakashi gave a heavy sigh. "Three weeks into this job and already I have this on my plate…"

Kakashi stood up and glanced out the window behind him as the sun fell behind the tree line.

"I have no choice…regardless of his medical condition and the fact the he is slowly dying, the joint council will want to try him openly to bring closure to the village. I'm setting the date for the trial in exactly one month from today…"

RxR

Roxas33


End file.
